If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Hike into MAHAA from Caledonia SP

I hiked into MAHAA on the AT from Caledonia state park. It was absolutely beautiful. A little rain on Wednesday night as I pushed into Quarry Gap Shelter campsite just before dark. I took a short video

and a few photos the next morning before hitting the trail.

The second night I stayed at Tom's Run Shelter campground. This was my best sleep ever while camping/backpacking. After putting in 15 miles on the trail and a good dinner I slept for 10 hours! My normal is 6 to 7.

And tried my hand at trail baking again. I had to flip my lid upside down since the muffin hit the lid when it was normal.

I think I have the baking down!

Then it was on to MAHHA for a great weekend.

"Mountains should be climbed with as little effort as possible and without desire. ... To live only for some future goal is shallow. Itís the sides of the mountain that sustain life, not the top. Here's where things grow." - Robert M. Pirsig

See, this is the great thing about these forums. I never saw anyone use their poles as a tarp spreader like that before. This is only my second season hanging and I can't wait to try that out. Thanks doogie!

See, this is the great thing about these forums. I never saw anyone use their poles as a tarp spreader like that before. This is only my second season hanging and I can't wait to try that out. Thanks doogie!

Slick isn't it? I've seen that in other posts of his.

Doogie - Looks like a blast. That shelter is over the top... Did it have a stocked fridge too?

I had lunch at that shelter on my pre-hike to Spring MAHHA last year. I must admit, I was quite impressed. I have never seen such a well-maintained shelter anywhere on the AT. The flowers and the diverted water source are quite a nice touch.

Doogie - Looks like a blast. That shelter is over the top... Did it have a stocked fridge too?

No, but there was a deck of cards and a chess set!

"Mountains should be climbed with as little effort as possible and without desire. ... To live only for some future goal is shallow. Itís the sides of the mountain that sustain life, not the top. Here's where things grow." - Robert M. Pirsig

Thanks for the Super Fly tarp pullout idea! I haven’t seen anyone use walking polls to pull-out the pull-outs before, very good idea! Seems to work well too. Thanks for the video too, it looked like a very quiet and peaceful camp place!

Wow that is awesome. Is it a particularly remote shelter? Seems to me that place would get run down in a second by kids looking for a place to party. That's a hobo palace!

From what I've heard the innkeeper visits about every other day. I had the place to myself. It is about 2.5 miles from a park nearby with a several hundred foot climb although there were some dirt roads that may have been closer and not gated.

Something else interesting I heard about the shelter; while they were building it they had buckets at the nearest access point next to a large pile of gravel with a sign asking each hiker to carry up a bucked full.

That was my recharge outing....this weekend it's back to camping in a park with a troop full including the newly crossed over scouts (11 year old). On the bright side I checked out the camp area and there are plenty of good trees so I won't have to pack the stand.

"Mountains should be climbed with as little effort as possible and without desire. ... To live only for some future goal is shallow. Itís the sides of the mountain that sustain life, not the top. Here's where things grow." - Robert M. Pirsig